RAS question
Harshavardhana's biography 'Harshacharita' was written by:
Correct answer: (A) Banabhatta.
Harshavardhana's biography Harshacharita was written by Banabhatta, his court poet.
Explanation
Harshacharita is considered one of the most important literary sources for understanding the history of the Vardhana dynasty. It was composed by Banabhatta, the court poet of Harshavardhana. The work is counted among the early successful historical biographies in Sanskrit prose because it describes the contemporary ruler Harsha and his ancestors. Banabhatta also wrote Kadambari. Hiuen Tsang's account is another important source for Harsha's reign and the Kanauj Assembly, but he did not write Harshacharita.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Kalidasa was a Gupta-period poet; he was neither Harsha's court poet nor the author of Harshacharita.
- (C) Harishena is associated with the Allahabad Pillar Inscription, while Harshacharita was composed by Banabhatta.
- (D) Ravikirti is associated with the Aihole inscription, while Harshacharita was composed by Banabhatta.
Concept
This tests understanding of the sources for early medieval Indian history. It requires correctly matching rulers, court authors and inscriptions. It recurs in RAS because Harsha's age is reconstructed from literary works, foreign travellers' accounts and inscriptions; identifying each source's author and historical association is therefore important.